Over 4 decades ago, bricks laid one upon another served to combat one of the major illnesses of the 20th century. The tuberculosis hospital in San Juan de Sacatepéquez served the country of Guatemala as a center for healing and attention for many years. Today, this building impacts families in an even more powerful and complete way. As a malnutrition center serving the most vulnerable, this center restores children in partnership with their families to be strong, resistant children. A building that once served an acute medical need, now serves more than 100 children a day addressing spiritual and physical health through diverse activities led by Orphan’s Heart with parents and children
The commitment to construct a building is to be questioned and the process committed to thorough scrutiny. The Bible states this in Luke 14:28. Yet, the mystery of how a building will “learn,”adapting and molded to the purpose God has for it to serve brings extended and additional purpose to those stacked bricks and poured columns. While many hours of planning and design go into the conception of a building, the innovation to use concrete skeletons to host new activities and deepen life impact bring the most dynamic use of the built environment.
Orphan’s Heart places nurses, pastors, and committed local and international volunteers in this center each day to deliver attention to children participating in intense internalized care. Families travel from remote areas to visit their children and receive training and encouragement for raising their young children in challenging environments. This campus is filled with activity and people each day and there is no doubt that the investment made many years ago in constructing this facility has served to advance the work of the kingdom and announce God’s love.
